Windshield for automobiles



Nov. 13, 1928.

H. T. THOMAS WINDSHIELD FOR AUTOMOBILES Original Filed Sept. 15, 1924 2Sheets-Sheet 1 gwventov /%r:e 7. 77071145.

Nov. 13, 1928.

H. T. THOMAS WINDSHIELD FOR AUTOMOBILES Original Filed Sept. 15, 1924 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Jmnkw Horace 7-' Tfiomas Patented Nov. 13, 19 28 HORACET. THOMAS, OF LANSING, MICHIGAN.

WINDSHIELD FDR AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed September 15, 1924, Serial No. 737,708. RenewedSeptember 28 1927.

My invention relates to wind shields for automobiles and an object of myimprove ments is to provide a wind shield which is simple inconstruction, water-tight, and noise-proof, and which may be convenientlY adjusted to different positions within the required limits.

Wind shields have been pivoted by pins at their side edges, and by metalhinges at their upper edges but these constructions have metalto metalcontacts and permit the access of water to theinterior of the car andthat aermits of the an ular ad'ustment of the shield while forming atight joint between said edges and one that cushions the weight of theshield. i

In the accompanying drawings I have shown a construction embodying myinvention as applied to an enclosed, or sedan, body. 7

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one-hall. of a construction embodyingmy invention and the adjacent parts of vthe body to which it isattached.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same looking from the right of Fig. 1,partly in section.

Fig. 3 is a section to an enlarged scale of the shield and adjacentparts withportions broken away to economize space.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 3 looking fromthe right of the same, the securing parts being shown in broken linesonly.

Fig. 5 .is a detailsection on the line V, V. Fig. 4.

a is the vehicle body. opening inthe front wall of which-the wind shieldis fitted. I

b is a metal strip secured to the vertical edge of the opening 61: Theconstruction is the same upon both. sides and; therefore, only one sidewill be described. The strip 7) is turned over and extends in a portion5 parallel to itself and for about half the width of said strip (Fig.5). 0 is a metal strip turned up at its edges to form a 0: indicates thesaid body in trough 0 The inner edge extends vertically in a portion 0and the outer edge is turned over and extends horizontally backward,presenting an edge 0 in the plane of the shield (Fig. 3). .The strip 0isshaped to fit against the lower edge of the opening a and extends theentire distance across the opening. (Fig. 4) is a hole formed thru theouter wall of the trough 0 at a. position which shall permit any waterthat may fall into said trough to drain to the outside,

of the body.

is the glass of the wind shield and ti is a frame extending aroundtheglassal and adapted to iit within the opening a and against the wallsthereof. The frame (2 is made up in part of two side pieces d shown mostdistinctly in Fig. 5, which present cavities 0Z adapted to receive thelateral edges of the glass {Z2 and grooves d opening toward the front.eis a rubber strip in the cavity (i When the shield is in its closedposition, the overturned portion 6 of the strip 1), enters the cavity(13 and engages with a tight joint against the outer surface of therubber strip 0. e is a strip of rubber fitting in the cavity (i andtightly engaging the edge of the glass d I d is the portion of the framed extending alongthelower edge of the glass d This has a cavity (iopening upward in which a channel strip of rubber e tightly engaging thelower edge of the glass 03 in said. cavity. The strip 03 presents at itslower edge a cavity (Z opening outward and in the bottom of this cavityis a rubber strip e. The edge 0 of theistrip 0 enter the cavity (Z andengages with a tight joint against the outer surface of the rubber strip6 (5 is the portion of the frame d extending along the upperedge of theglass d This presents a downwardly opening cavity (Z in which the upperedge of the glass d channel rubber e in said cavity.

7" is a stripof rubber having a downwardlyopening cavity, or groove, ftherein,

which extends throughout its entire length. The rubber strip f engageswith its upper surface the upper edge of the opening a f .is a strip ofmetal extending along and engaging the inner wall of the cavity F. f"

engages with a tight joint by means of the indicates securing screwswhich pass through" screw holes in the strip 7, their heads engaging thewalls of said holes and their shanks engaging the Wood at the upper edgeof the opening a 7 [The portion 0Z of the frame cl engages for part ofits width with a tight joint in the cavity f of the rubber strip f, asshown-in i Fig. 3.

g is a lug secured through a base, plate to the side (Z of the frame (Zand extending at right angles to the wind shield at a side edge thereof.

h (Figs. 3 and 5) is alug secured through abase plate 71? at the sidewall of the open-- ing a adjacent and parallel to the lug g. [l isanarcuate slot inthe lug h, the center of the radius of which is at thejoint between the frame d and the rubber strip j is a bolt, the shank ofwhich extends through the slot 75 and through a circular hole in theouter, end of the lug g, the head of said bolt'engaging the outer wallof' the lug 7!- adjacent to the slot 7t. 7 is a ringed nut enga ing thethreads oi, the bolt j and the inner surface at the outer end of the lug9.

7c is a handle upon the frame (Z by which the wind shield be moved toadjust it to any position desired.

- The mode of using the above described wind shield is as follows:

If it is desired to close the front opening entirely, the nut j isloosened and the wind shield forced outward, the edges Z2 of the sidepieces 5 engaging with a tight joint against the rubber strips 6 and theedge 0 of the lower strip 0 engaging with a tight joint against therubber strips 0 If itis desired to provide an opening for the ad missionof air, the nut j is loosened and the lower edge of the shield is drawninward by means of the handle 70, as indicated by broken lines in Fig,2, the bolt passing falong the 'arcuate slot, 1 1, and the shieldturning about the flexible joint formed by the rubber strip f engagingits upper edge.

' \Vhen a sulticient opening 1S provided, the

nut f is again tightened and the shield is thereby held in its ad ustedposition, the engagement between thelugs g and 7t always holding theshield in its proper position during its movement, as well as inengagement between the frame {Z and the strip 7.

Any water that may fall into the trough c is discharged through theaperture to the outside of the body.-

It will be noted that there is no hinge and that there can be no noiseat the flexible oint of the shield, that the shield can swingtoprovide'a's large an openin as is required, that the construction issimple, and that all oints are water tight.

While the construction shown contemplates that the shield opens inward,it is obvious that the shield may open outward if desired.

What I claim is: I

1. The combination of a wind shield, an automobile having an opening'torsaid wind shield, and a flexible part joining adjacentedges of saidshield and opening and constituting a hinge that shall hold the edge ofsaid shield adjacent to the edge of said opening in position and permitthe wind shield to turn about said hinge, said part consisting of astrip of rubberpermanently secured to one of said edges and fixedlysecured to the other edge by a groove and tongue construction so as toform a tight joint between said edges I 2. The combination of a windshield, an automobile having an opening for said wind shield, and aflexible part joining adjacent es of said shield and openingconstituting a hinge for said shield, and a separate means adapted tocarry the weight of said shield and hold t in positionat its differentadjusted positions consisting of a pair of lugs one upon the shield andone upon the edge of the opening, and a connection between said lugsguided in an arc of a circle having its center at the line of flexure 01said. flexible part.

The combination of a wind shield, an opening therefor, and a sheet metalstrip glorming the wall at the lower edge of said opening and turnedinward and backward toward its outer edge to present an edge to. avertical surface of sald'shield, said channel along its entire loweredge, one edge of said wind shield slidably engaging in said channel toform a weather tight joint, said shield being adapted to turn at saidedge by flexing said material and separate means adapted to support theweight of said shield and hold it in different angular positions towhich it may be adjusted.

In testimony whereof, l sign this'specitica' tion.

no aacn T. THOMAS.

